Atlantic by Charles Williams

 This rare and progressive little board was shaped at Atlantic surfboards in St Ives, Cornwall in around 1971. A really beautiful shape ,it doesnt have the extremes and wierdness which some of the boards of this era have. By this I mean some of the extreme s-decks, crazy rocker or huge fin which you sometimes get on sub 6 ft boards of the early 70s. Whether Charles Williams shaped it or one of the Aussies who worked there I dont know as its not signed, but they were a good shaper. The board is also in amazing condition; most Atlantics you see look like they've lived in a St Ives garden for years and been passed to generations of local groms as a learner plank.

Nice organic lettering with trippy lava lamp bubbles and a heart above the i; we can assume that a fair amount of recreational drug use was happening at the time ! This feel is added to by the acid washes on both sides, although the pinlining is precise and beautifully done. The board is 5'9 x 20 1/2 in. and is a rare survivor from a factory which produced from the mid 60s to the early 70s. Mabye because St Ives it so far west there wasnt alot of passing trade so the label struggled a bit in comparison to north Cornwall and Devon labels.

1969 British Surfer

Charles Williams founder of Atlantic, 1969 Surfing UK magazine

Early 70s comp, from BSA archives - some important UK surfers who had their own labels - Colin Wilson (5 Star), Charles Williams (Atlantic), Tigger Newling (Tig, Jolly Good), John Nile, Graham Nile (Graham Nile surfboards), Tim Heyland (Tiki).